Magnetically controlled toy vehicle



'Feb. 25, 1964 w. NYC

MAGNETICALLY CONTROLLED TOY VEHICLE Filed Aug. 18. 1961 INVENTOR. WmmM/nNye United States Patent 3,121,971 MAGNETICALLY CGNTRQLLED TGY VEHICLEWladirnir Nye, 3125 U St., Sacramento 17, Calif. Filed Aug. 18, 1961,Ser. No. 132,444 6 Claims. (Cl. 46-236) This invention relates to toyvehicles and more particularly to a means of maneuvering them.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device formaneuvering of toy vehicles in a simple and efrlcient manner so that aperson of any age may enjoy it.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the toy vehiclewith a device to maneuver itself without outside help in such a mannerso that the spectators will be amazed and puzzled at its antics.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide amagnetically maneuvered toy vehicle that can be produced, packaged andsold in large quantities at a comparatively low cost.

3,121,971 Patented Feb. 25, 1964 the terminals on either side it is inneutral 14 but when the terminal rod 6 is moved forward so that theterminal rod contacts meet the forward battery terminals, the Vehicle isput in reverse 15 and when it is moved back to the other two terminalsit puts the vehicle in forward motion 18. The terminal rod 6 is made tomove when one of two contact rods 8 strikes a specially placed object,possibly in the form of a pebble. When the Vehicle is going forward theleft contact rod (L) strikes a small object 21 which brings the terminalrod into neutral position 14. When the same left contact rod (L) strikesa slightly larger object 22 it forces the terminal rod to move forward15 and comes in contact with the forward battery terminals, putting thevehicle in reverse. As the vehicle is traveling in reverse the rightcontact rod (R) strikes a small object 24 that places the terminal rodinto neutral position 17, and then into forward position 18 after thestriking of another object that moves the terminal rod in the otherdirection. Although the motor does not work while the vehicle is inneutral position the V momentum carries the vehicle far enough for oneof the Still additional objects, benefits, and advantages of thisinvention will become evident from a study of the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the present invention for a magneticallycontrolled toy vehicle shown in elevation and partly broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the terminal and contact rods showing from1345 how the vehicle enters from forward drive to reverse after the leftcontact rod (L) strikes object;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the terminal rod and contact rods showingfrom 1648 how the vehicle enters from reverse into forward after theright contact rod (R) strikes an object;

FIGURE 5 is a plan of a portion of the cardboard sheet showing the wiretrack concealed within the cardboard sheet and specially placed objectswhich the contact rod strikes.

Referring now specifically to the drawing, a magnetically controlled toyvehicle made in accordance with the present invention is shown toinclude a toy vehicle operated by a battery driven electric motor 1 withits steering controlled by magnets. A front magnet 2 is connected underthe front axle 3 that has a vertical axis 4 extending from the center ofit to the body of the vehicle. This vertical axis 4 makes it possiblefor the front axle 3 to rotate around it, allowing the vehicle to besteered. Under the rear end of the toy vehicle is a stabilizer magnet 5to prevent the rear end from swaying from side to side and to makebetter turns. When the vehicle is in'motion these magnets glide over awire made of magnetically attracted metal that is concealed within asheet of cardboard. The magnets under the vehicle keep it on course andcontrol the steering. Another method of steering the toy vehicle withmagnets is to use round magnets for wheels. This method could requiretwo tracks within the sheet of cardboard unless only one magnet wheel isused on a vehicle, as for example a motorbike.

A terminal rod 6 is connected to a connecting rod 7 that has a contactrod 8 on each side of it. They are left contact rod (L) and rightcontact rod (R) and both point in opposite directions. The terminal rod6 has two wires leading to it from the motor to form two contacts 10 onit. On each side of the terminal rod 6 there are two terminals 11 and 12from the battery connected cross wise to each other so that theterminals on one side are first plus and then minus and on the otherside are minus then plus. When the terminal rod 6 is not in contact withcontact rods 8 to strike a larger object putting the vehicle either inreverse or forward. When there .are a number of wires joining as inFIGURE 5 there is the possibility that when the vehicle returns backwardalong wire 23 after being set in reverse by object 22 that it wouldreturn to its starting position on wire 20. To prevent this fromoccurring wire 20 is terminated a short distance in front of wire 23just far enough so that the magnets under the vehicle do not engage Withwire 20 upon returning.

The operation of this device will now be readily understood. When thevehicle starts oif at the track 20 the magnets are attracted by the wirewithin the cardboard, thus the vehicle shall follow the wire although itis not visible to the spectators. When the wire curves as wire 20 inFIGURE 5 the front magnet 2 turns the front axle 3 accordingly making acorrect turn. An object 21 placed on the left of the vehicles route isstruck by the left contact rod (L) FIGURE 3, 13 moving the terminal rod6 into neutral position 14. Further up, 14, another object 22 on thesame side but slightly larger puts the vehicle in reverse 15 via leftcontact rod (L). As the vehicle is traveling backwards a gap betweenwire 20 and 23 assures that the vehicle will not return back along wire24) but shall continue on wire 23 where object 24 puts the vehicle inneutral 16 via right contact rod (R). The object 25 is struck by rightcontact rod (R) 17 placing the vehicle in forward 18.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to theconstruction shown in the drawing and while various changes may be madein the detail constrnction, it shall be understood that such changesshall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as definedby the appended claims.

Having thus completely and fully described the invention, what is nowclaimed as new and desired to be pro tected by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. A magnetically controlled toy vehicle comprising:

(a) an elongated toy vehicle frame supported on ground engaging wheels;

(12) a battery powered electric motor mounted on said frame adapted todrive said wheels;

(0) reversible switch means interposed between said battery and saidmotor for reversing the direction of rotation of said motor;

(d) a track of magnetically attracted material beneath said vehicleframe;

(e) magnetic means on said frame attractable to said track for guidingsaid frame along the path of said track;

(7) a pair of rockable contact rods depending from 3 4 said frame onopposite sides of said track, means conmanner as to follow said wiretrack and steer said necting said contact rods to said switch means tofront axle accordingly, the other of said magnets reverse said switchmeans in dependence upon the being a stabilizer magnet and connectedunder the degree of angularity of said contact rods; and rear end of thevehicle and also following said track;

(g) a plurality of objects disposed in predetermined 10- 5 (h) a pair ofcontact rods joined together by the said cations on opposite sides ofsaid track in interfering connecting rod to which also is joined thesaid terrelation with said contact rods, each of said objects minal rodsuch that when either of the said contact being capable of angularlyrocking the interfering one rods strikes an object the said terminal rodwill tilt of said rods. in the opposite direction; and,

2. The device of claim 1 further characterized by an (i) a set of twobattery terminals located on opposite additional track of magneticallyattracted 6 material 10- sides of the said terminal rod, both sets beingconcated beneath said vehicle frame, said additional track nectedcross-wise to each other so that the said conbeing arcuate andterminating adjacent one end in subtacts on said terminal rod connectedto said motor stantially tangential relation with respect to said firsttrack. may meet either set of said battery terminals to re- 3. Thedevice of claim 2 wherein said one end of said verse the current in saidmotor. additional track is spaced from said first track a prede- 5, Thetoy vehicle of claim 4, said pair of contact rods termined distance.consisting of two low lying oblique rods both pointing 4. A magneticallycontrolled toy vehicle comprising, in i opposite di tio combination: 6.The toy vehicle of claim 4, said Wire track being (a) a battery drivenelectric motor; concealed within a sheet of cardboard.

(b) a terminal rod;

(0) two contacts on said terminal rod electrically con- References Citedin the file of this patent nected to said motoir; UNITED STATES PATENTS(d) a connectmg 2,486,273 Gibson Oct. 25, 1949 (e) a front axle pivotalabout a vertical axis; (1) a Wire track made of magnetically attractedmaterial; q j T (g) a pair of magnets, one of said magnets being aFOREIGN PATLNS front magnet and afiixed to said front axle in such a492,654 Italy Mar. 29, 1954 2,690,626 Gay an. Oct. 5, 1954

1. A MAGNETICALLY CONTROLLED TOY VEHICLE COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATEDTOY VEHICLE FRAME SUPPORTED ON GROUND ENGAGING WHEELS; (B) A BATTERYPOWERED ELECTRIC MOTOR MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME ADAPTED TO DRIVE SAIDWHEELS; (C) REVERSIBLE SWITCH MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID BATTERY ANDSAID MOTOR FOR REVERSING THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF SAID MOTOR; (D) ATRACK OF MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTED MATERIAL BENEATH SAID VEHICLE FRAME; (E)MAGNETIC MEANS ON SAID FRAME ATTRACTABLE TO SAID TRACK FOR GUIDING SAIDFRAME ALONG THE PATH OF SAID TRACK; (F) A PAIR OF ROCKABLE CONTACT RODSDEPENDING FROM SAID FRAME ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID TRACK, MEANSCONNECTING SAID CONTACT RODS TO SAID SWITCH MEANS TO REVERSE SAID SWITCHMEANS IN DEPENDENCE UPON THE DEGREE OF ANGULARITY OF SAID CONTACT RODS;AND (G) A PLURALITY OF OBJECTS DISPOSED IN PREDETERMINED LOCATIONS ONOPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID TRACK IN INTERFERING RELATION WITH SAID CONTACTRODS, EACH OF SAID OBJECTS BEING CAPABLE OF ANGULARLY ROCKING THEINTERFERING ONE OF SAID RODS.